The GoodHard Story Podcast

Most of us have been told a lot of lies about beauty. We’ve been given the wrong story about what beauty is, why it matters, and who it belongs to.Today I want to replace at least a few of those lies with five truths I uncovered when my outer appearance changed completely. These truths aren’t popular and they might even make you uncomfortable. (In fact, I kinda hope they do!) Facing these realities took me decades and a lot of heartache, but the pain has been worth the freedom I now feel from our culture’s ludicrous definition of beauty.During our time together, I’ll share…Why beauty won’t get you what you actually wantWhat happens when our priorities get out of orderHow sacrifice can lead to the truest beauty What our fixation on beauty is actually trying to tell usIf you feel compelled to refresh and realign your beliefs around beauty, this episode is for you.Show Notes:Suffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything by Katherine and Jay Wolf - https://a.co/d/hR7Yj4lThere's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

The first time I looked in a mirror after my stroke, I didn’t know who was staring back at me. My face was unrecognizable, and my body might as well have been a stranger’s. It took me years to accept the reality of my new appearance. Feeling anything close to "positivity" was not in the realm of possibility.We’re living in the era of body positivity and I am HERE for it! But as a woman living with disabilities, I can’t always muster up positive feelings about a body that doesn’t function well much of the time. This reality could set me up for some major body negativity, but I’ve found another option.Today we’re talking all about body neutrality—what it means, how I got here, and why I’m convinced it’s the healthiest relationship I can have to my body. In this unguarded episode, my teammate Leah and I get vulnerable about our physical insecurities, the cultural beauty standards we have (and haven’t) internalized, our experiences with weight loss, and the weirdness of postpartum body changes.If body positivity feels out of your reach, you need to hit play on this episode in your favorite podcast app.Show Notes:Suffer Strong - https://a.co/d/8DKyzM7Jess Connolly - https://www.instagram.com/jessaconnolly/Breaking Free from Body Shame by Jess Connolly - https://a.co/d/fAj7sL8Episode 85: My New Way of Understand Beauty with Brook HensleyMy Body Neutrality writing that appeared on Live Original: https://liveoriginal.com/author/katherine-wolf/Scriptures referenced in this episode:2 Corinthians 4:162 Chronicles 20:12 (Katherine did not make it up!)***There's so much more to the story.For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

“I am the embodiment of the worst case scenario. I am what every athlete fears and what pregnant parents dread. I am the catalyst for losing faith and questioning God.”Those stunning words were written by today’s guest Dr. Amy Kenny, a brilliant author and scholar who lives with disabilities. That phrase— “worst case scenario”—resonates so deeply with me since I was born with a congenital brain defect that, essentially, exploded out of the clear blue when I was in my twenties.Today I have the privilege of hearing from Dr. Amy Kenny. This brilliant woman’s work has helped me see that the “worst case scenario” might actually be the best case scenario for my life. She’s guided me in learning that my body—disabilities and all—is not an impediment to being an image bearer of God; it’s actually a channel through which I can bear God's image most fully. On this episode, we will… Unpack the controversial concept of a disabled God Investigate our standards of bodily perfection Parse out the critical difference between being cured and being healed Celebrate disability as a creative force Identify the traces of divinity to be found in our bodiesIf you need permission to believe your body bears God’s image—whether you have disabilities or not!—this episode is for you.Show Notes:My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church - https://a.co/d/3DZTIt1Dr. Amy Kenny at Calvin University - https://youtu.be/URPc3nMll5s?feature=sharedScriptures referenced in this episode:Luke 14 - The Parable of the BanquetJohn 9***There's so much more to the story.For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite chapters of a book I’ve ever written. Several years ago, my husband Jay and I released a book calledSuffer Strong. It’s all about how we were able to survive anything because we were willing to redefine everything—from failure to trauma to commitment. Even beauty. That’s the chapter you’re about to hear.Before my stroke, I had never put too much focus on the way I looked. But once my face became paralyzed and my body lost a lot of its typical function, I had no choice but to confront the deep-down story of beauty that I had been told…and believed. After years of grappling with that story, I came to understand that it’s actually a story about fear, control, and shame. The truest beauty, it turns out, comes from putting down the shame and embracing our belovedness.If you’re ready to trade in your old definitions of beauty and start living in freedom, I pray hearing these words invite you to take the first step in walking away from shame.Suffer Strong - https://a.co/d/8DKyzM7There's so much more to the story.For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visithttps://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content:https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠:https://hopeheals.com/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠:https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠:https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram⁠:https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

I’m going to make a big claim: This will probably be the most sweeping, inspiring conversation on beauty you’ll hear in your life. I say this with such confidence because Brook Hensley changed the way I understand beauty. And she’s about to do the same for you. Over the next several weeks, we’re going to focus deeply on the story of our beauty and our bodies—what the story is, who is telling it to us, and what needs to change. But before we get into the flesh-and-bones of it all, I want to talk about beauty as a concept. Why, oh why, does it matter to us so much?That’s where Brook comes in. This brilliant friend of mine is inviting you and me into a surprising and subversive new way of thinking about beauty. Join in on this unmissable conversation to understand… What the “third way” of beauty means for your life Why beauty and vanity are not the same thing How beauty can be an act of resistance and rebellionIf you’re waiting to unlock a mind-blowing expansion of your relationship to beauty, this episode is for you.Show Notes:Hope Heals Camp - https://hopeheals.com/camp/Upcoming speaking events: https://hopeheals.com/upcoming-eventsThe Soul of Desire by Dr. Curt Thompson - https://a.co/d/0J89OXUBeauty Will Save the World by Brian Zahnd - https://a.co/d/3N6yPdAWalter Wink - https://a.co/d/4xjwKxz“Why It Matters” by Sara Groves - https://www.saragroves.com/song-lyrics/why-it-mattersThe Overview Effect - https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/the-overview-effect/Earth rise photo - https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230511-earthrise-the-photo-that-sparked-an-environmental-movementBlue marble photo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Marble“This Is What I Do To Feel Close To You” by John Guerra - https://youtu.be/nSozD9_vHo0?feature=sharedAndrew Peterson - https://www.andrew-peterson.com/On Beauty and Being Just by Elaine Scarry - https://a.co/d/bj0RBTC“The last act is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.” - T.S. EliotScriptures referenced in this episode:1 Samuel 14:7Romans 1:20Psalm 27:4Psalm 90:17Matthew 5:30-41John 8:12Matthew 5:14-16***There's so much more to the story: ⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠ for more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me!Follow me in Instagram: ⁠⁠@hopeheals⁠⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠Want a little hope in your inbox?⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, my monthly digest of only the good stuff, like short reflections from me and a curated roundup of the Internet’s most redemptive content. Subscribe here.YouTube Show NotesThere's so much more to the story.For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine.Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast!Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664bebWant a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenoteGet to know us:⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

Recently I received emails from two people in very different circumstances who were grappling with (essentially) the same question: Who is telling me the story of who I should be? Their messages struck me so deeply because, for the first half of my life, I asked other people to tell me that story. I desperately wanted to please people by giving them the power over who I was and what I should do. Then I was set free by, of all things, a massive stroke. My new physical limitations meant I was no longer capable of pleasing everyone, all the time. And neither are you, whether you live with disabilities or not. So let’s get real about it.  We simply cannot go any further into our conversation on identity formation without coming to terms with who we’re trying to please. My teammate Caroline Young is joining me on this week’s episode of The GoodHard Story Podcast to offer a glimmer of hope (and maybe a big deep breath) for all of us people-pleasers and perfectionists. Here’s what we get into: Discerning God’s conviction from man’s condemnation My honest opinion on perfect church attendance Acting out of guilt versus obedience Identifying the outside influences on our self-image If you want to prioritize pleasing God over pleasing people, this episode is for you! Show Notes: I Shall Not Want by Audrey Assaud - https://youtu.be/e5xEYgGr6ms Star for Jesus and Other Jobs I Quite by Kim Stuart - https://a.co/d/4GnHtlN Scriptures referenced in this episode: Hosea 6:3 *** There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine. Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/ ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

If you think your calling is collateral damage in the hurt and hardship you’ve experienced, I understand how you’re feeling. The work I’m doing now looks nothing like the dreams I had for my life. But now, I can’t imagine dreaming up anything better. Today on The GoodHard Story Podcast we’re covering one of my all-time favorite topics: how our limitations—rather than our strengths—invite us to lean into God’s calling for our lives. Give me 45 minutes of your day and I’ll give you a new way of approaching your purpose. I’m sharing how you can… Figure out what your “creative best” actually is Take radical responsibility of your story  Allow your calling to evolve and grow Dream new dreams for your life Find clarity through your boundaries If you need fresh vision for the good purpose in your hard story, this episode is for you. Show Notes: Treasures in the Dark Entry 46: Dreaming New Dreams - https://a.co/d/4n1npsd “The most progress we can make is turning around” - C.S. Lewis Scriptures referenced in this episode: Psalm 16:6 John 3:30 Galatians 6:4-5 Romans 8:28 Ephesians 4:1 *** There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine. Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/ ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

How could it be true that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly? I spent years trying to make God’s ways align with my definition of goodness, but nothing ever seemed to click. Finally, I realized I actually needed to redefine what goodness meant to me. It was not an easy process, let me tell you, but it has formed me for the better. My friend Lysa has been on the same journey of redefining everything in a life that has upended every expectation she had. While our pain has taken completely different forms, she is my sister in suffering whose extraordinary character has been formed by hardship, not in spite of it. No one is more qualified to coach us on identity formation than Lysa TerKeurst. I’m inspired and challenged by who she is today and who she is still becoming, and I think you will be too. You do not want to miss out on the goodness and grit today episode of The GoodHard Story Podcast. Here’s just a preview of what you’ll take away: Identifying shame scripts in your life What to do with the things that will never make sense to you Making space for the sweetness of the unexpected Selecting your soul’s board of directors If you’re ready to become better instead of bitter because of your heartbreak, this episode is for you. Show Notes: Therapy and Theology Podcast - https://lysaterkeurst.com/therapy-and-theology/ I Want to Trust You, But I Don't by Lysa TerKeurst - https://a.co/d/2Q6mHfK Lysa’s TikTok dance in New York - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDTBG8np6mm/ Scriptures referenced in this episode: 2 Corinthians 1:4 Psalm 84:11 *** There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine. Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/ ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

I don’t re-listen to my own podcast episodes often, but I’ll be replaying this one many times over. My guest Dr. Dan Allender is a trauma therapist. And if you just assumed this episode has nothing for you, consider Dr. Allender’s words: “All life east of Eden is a form of trauma.” Whew.  So, yeah, you need to hear this. Dr. Allender’s work has been a gamechanger in my life and I insist that you have access to his wisdom, too! He has given me a framework for understanding, grieving, and telling my story, and I cannot think of a more trustworthy voice to speak into our conversation on identity formation.  On this episode, the kind and brilliant Dr. Allender shares… The one thing you can do to take a step toward health Why wrestling with God can be a form of worship How to create the community you long to be a part of If you want support in becoming who you’re meant to be, this episode is for you. Show Notes: The Allender Center - https://theallendercenter.org/ The Allender Center Podcast - https://theallendercenter.org/category/podcast/ Curt Thompson Confessional Community - https://curtthompsonmd.com/the-way-of-the-confessional-community/ Adam Young on The GoodHard Story Podcast Episode 71 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-71-what-your-feelings-are-asking-of-you-with/id1496882479?i=1000671653634 Scriptures referenced in this episode: 2 Corinthians 4:10 Romans 12:15 Psalm 22:1 *** There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine. Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/ ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/

It’s 2025, friends. Who do you hope to become in the year ahead? You and I are probably not going to become people of resilience, compassion, and courage by accident. Our circumstances, beliefs, relationships, and decisions are shaping our souls—in both good and hard ways—every minute of the day. I want to understand exactly how it’s happening. And what I can do to create the identity I want. Today we’re talking to my winsome friend Bob Goff—author, speaker, and unofficial spokesperson for belovedness. This mentor of mine knows how to live whimsically *and* strategically, and I am determined to learn how to do it too. On this episode, Bob is sharing exactly how you can… Find God’s one and only plan for your life and mine Start asking “What if?” with HOPE instead of anxiety Become a note taker of your own life (and why it will change everything) If you’re ready to start living like you’re loved (because you are), this episode is for you! Catching Whimsy: 365 Days of Possibility - https://www.bobgoff.com/books/catching-whimsy/ Treasures in the Dark Entry 32: The Habit of Hope - https://a.co/d/3mcRhmK Treasures in the Dark Entry 60: What If? - https://a.co/d/3mcRhmK Scriptures referenced in this episode: Romans 8:19-23 (The Passion Translation) Romans 5:3-5 Hebrews 11:1 Galatians 5:6 Philippians 4:6 Mark 9:24 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 *** There's so much more to the story. For more messages of hope, free resources, and opportunities to connect with me, visit https://hopeheals.com/katherine. Follow me in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/⁠ Subscribe to The GoodHard Story Podcast! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-hard-story-podcast/id1496882479 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0OYz6G9Q2tNNVOX9YSdmFb?si=043bd6b10a664beb Want a little hope in your inbox? ⁠⁠Sign up for the Hope Note⁠⁠, our twice-a-month digest of only the good stuff, like reflections from Katherine and a curated digest of the Internet’s most redemptive content: https://hopeheals.com/hopenote Get to know us: ⁠⁠Hope Heals⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/ ⁠⁠Hope Heals Camp⁠⁠: https://hopeheals.com/camp ⁠⁠Mend Coffee⁠⁠: https://www.mendcoffee.org/ Instagram⁠: https://www.instagram.com/hopeheals/